BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






               SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                     Dede Alpert, Chair
                 1999-2000 Regular Session
                              

BILL NO:       SB 571
AUTHOR:        Alarcon
AS INTRODUCED: February 23, 1999
FISCAL COMM:   No             HEARING DATE:  April 28, 1999
URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:Nancy Anton


  SUMMARY  

This bill expands the purpose of the Families for Literacy  
Program to include the provision of training for parents  
who have no or minimal readings skills, as specified.

  BACKGROUND  

In 1988 the Legislature created the Families for Literacy  
Program, a statewide family literacy initiative in public  
libraries.  This program provides state and local  
assistance funds each year so that public libraries already  
providing adult literacy services (usually through the  
California Library Literacy Services) can extend these  
services to include the families of those adult learners  
who have a preschool aged child.  Although having a  
preschool child is a prerequisite to being eligible for  
this program, these programs include the entire family.

  ANALYSIS  

  This bill  expands the purpose of the Families for Literacy  
Program to include, as a principal component, providing  
training or assistance to parents who have no or minimal  
reading skills so that they can help their children learn  
to read.  This  component shall also include services for  
parents for whom English is not their primary language.

  STAFF COMMENTS  

  1)   Proposed Amendment.   Information from the author's  
     office indicates that it is their intent that the bill  
     be amended to clarify that the Families of Literacy  
     Program provide a program that takes into  




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     consideration the literacy requirements for students  
     in grade kindergarten through grade 12.  Staff  
     recommends that the bill be amended to reflect this.  
  
  2)   Participation  .  In the current year, 59 library  
     jurisdictions are providing family literacy in nearly  
     200 communities throughout California.  Grant awards  
     vary from $4,000 to $30,000, based on the size and  
     scope of the individual program with the average award  
     being about $22,000.  Of the 57 programs that were  
     funded in 1997-98, 63% of all the children served were  
     Hispanic, 14% were African American, 12% were White,  
     9% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander and 1% American Indian.   
     In 1997-98, over 5,400 children received over 36,000  
     free books as part of their participation in this  
     program.

  3)   Current Year  .  In the current year, the Families for  
     Literacy Program is funded with $876,000 from the  
     General Fund.

  SUPPORT  

Los Angeles County Office of Education

  OPPOSITION  

None received